Ethereum Classic (ETC) is an open-source, decentralised cryptocurrency platform announced in July 2015 when the original Ethereum (ETH) blockchain was hard-forked following a security breach. Although the hard fork option was excessively debated and eventually approved by the Ethereum Foundation, many users felt that this move represented censorship and interference with a project that was supposed to be "decentralised". This disagreement brought about the birth of Ethereum Classic, a project whose main goal is to ensure the survival of the original Ethereum blockchain. As a result, the currency of Ethereum (called "ether") now exists in two forms, ETC and ETH, with both being actively traded on a number of cryptocurrency exchanges. The Original announcement.